Bruce Highway improvement work continues

Regular users of the Bruce Highway near Gin Gin will soon experience safer driving conditions following the start of work to realign a 6.7 km stretch of the highway between Cabbage Tree Creek and Carmans Road.

Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the upgrade will be completed late next year.

“Traffic volumes on the Bruce Highway continue to grow, so I’m pleased that these works will improve safety for the more than 3,500 vehicles that currently travel this section of highway each day, almost 30 per cent of which are heavy vehicles,” Mr Albanese said.

“The alignment of this section of the highway will remove tight curves and increase sight distances for motorists, making it easier to see other vehicles.

“An overtaking lane will be built for each direction of traffic, and two heavy vehicle rest stops will be constructed to cater for north and southbound motorists.

“The Bruce Highway and Monduran Road intersection will also be upgraded alongside other minor upgrades which will improve access to private properties along the Highway.”

Queensland Deputy Premier and Member for Callide Jeff Seeney said interim safety measures had been implemented as part of the project.

“There will be additional signage in place and a reduced speed limit on some sections of the existing highway while the works take place,” Mr Seeney said.

“Side tracks will also be in place to allow the connections to the new alignments to be built.

“Meanwhile, works commenced last year to flatten and realign a 3.7 kilometre stretch of the highway further north across Back Creek Range.

“The project will work to improve the vertical and horizontal alignment along this stretch and will bypass the section locally referred to as the ‘Big Dipper’, with works expected to be completed by mid-2014.

The Federal Labor Government is providing $80 million towards the combined $100 million cost of the Cabbage Tree Creek to Carman Road upgrade and Back Creek Range upgrade.

“Last year, crews also began working on a $20 million federally funded project to improve a 1.6 kilometre section of the highway on the southern approach to Gin Gin,” Mr Albanese said.

These safety works are part of the Federal Government’s unprecedented $5.7 billion investment to upgrade the Bruce Highway.